Young people are cooking up a treat at Care Leavers Teatime Club

A new weekly club is offering care leavers the chance to learn cooking skills and enjoy a hot meal together.

Tameside Council has established the Care Leavers Teatime Club to support young people and provide the opportunity to learn important life skills in a supportive environment.

The free club meets for two hours every Monday evening to enable care leavers to come together and learn budget-friendly cooking skills, from kitchen basics to delicious recipes. They can then share a home-cooked meal and build connections and lasting friendships. It’s also an opportunity to connect with the Council’s Leaving Care and Staying Close teams to get support, ask questions and discover available resources.

The young people are encouraged to get involved in food preparation and are provided with helpful information about health and nutrition. And there might even be a Care Leavers Cookery Book to follow.

Kelsey, who has recently joined the club, said: “I’d encourage more care leavers to come along and join us. The club is a good way to interact with people and cook with them. It's free and you can also take the food home if you don't want to eat it there, as some people might already be full or not like eating with others. It's also an amazing way to make friends and if you live alone it makes it less lonely at meal times.”

A Tameside Council Spokesperson added: “The Care Leavers Teatime Club is a brilliant idea, giving young people the chance to come together, learn some valuable cooking skills and share a home-cooked meal with like-minded company.

“We’re delighted that the initiative is giving our care leavers a warm, supportive place where they can feel at ease.”

Care leavers wanting to attend, or more information, can contact Melissa Housley on 0161 342 2861 or 07772 313580.